Lee Kayoung, Cosco Theodore D, Peacock Shelley, O'Connell Megan E, Haase Kristen R
School of Nursing, Faculty of Applied Science, University of British Columbia, T201-2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada.
Department of Gerontology, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
BMC Geriatr. 2025 Jul 3;25(1):489. doi: 10.1186/s12877-025-06133-y.
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted most people to embrace different approaches to their daily activities. Due to various measures to slow transmission in many jurisdictions, older adults were particularly impacted by measures restricting interactions. Our previous cross-sectional study identified barriers and facilitators for technology use for social interaction among older adults in British Columbia (BC), Canada. To investigate whether regional differences exist, the same survey from the previous study was conducted in Saskatchewan (SK), Canada during the same time. We also explored whether education and income levels were associated with older adults' social technology usage.
The cross-sectional survey was conducted through random-digit dialing to older adults who were 65 or older in BC and SK. Data were analyzed through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software (IBM corporation) and Microsoft Excel. Thematic analysis was performed on the survey's responses to open-ended questions.
There were 806 participants, 400 from BC and 406 from SK. Education levels were associated with awareness of using technology for social interaction for both BC and SK while only SK had an association between new technology use and education levels. Similarly, income levels were also associated with awareness of technology use for social interaction for both provinces while only BC had an association between income levels to uptake of new technology. From the previous and current study, the barriers identified for technology use for social interactions in BC and SK were lack of interest, access (including financial issues) and physical limitations. SK participants identified perceived low self-efficacy as an additional barrier. For facilitators, BC and SK participants identified current and previous technology knowledge, help from others and motivation to keep social connections. Access to technology was unique to BC while better technology was unique to SK.
Our study suggests that when older adults have access to resources to support their technology use, they will use them more, possibly enhancing their capacity for technology use. Future studies with more diverse populations around Canada may identify varying factors for older adults' technology use and regional variations in how technology is used for social interaction.
2019年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行促使大多数人在日常活动中采用不同的方式。由于许多司法管辖区采取了各种减缓传播的措施，老年人尤其受到限制互动措施的影响。我们之前的横断面研究确定了加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省（BC）老年人在社交互动中使用技术的障碍和促进因素。为了调查是否存在地区差异，在同一时间对加拿大萨斯喀彻温省（SK）进行了与之前研究相同的调查。我们还探讨了教育和收入水平是否与老年人的社交技术使用有关。
通过随机数字拨号对BC省和SK省65岁及以上的老年人进行横断面调查。数据通过社会科学统计软件包（SPSS）软件（IBM公司）和Microsoft Excel进行分析。对调查中开放式问题的回答进行了主题分析。
共有806名参与者，其中400名来自BC省，406名来自SK省。教育水平与BC省和SK省使用技术进行社交互动的意识相关，而只有SK省新技术使用与教育水平之间存在关联。同样，收入水平也与两省使用技术进行社交互动的意识相关，而只有BC省收入水平与新技术采用之间存在关联。从之前和当前的研究来看，BC省和SK省在社交互动中使用技术所确定的障碍包括缺乏兴趣、获取（包括财务问题）和身体限制。SK省的参与者将自我效能感低视为另一个障碍。对于促进因素，BC省和SK省的参与者确定了当前和以前的技术知识、他人的帮助以及保持社交联系的动机。技术获取是BC省独有的，而更好的技术是SK省独有的。
我们的研究表明，当老年人能够获得支持其技术使用的资源时，他们会更多地使用这些资源，这可能会提高他们使用技术的能力。未来对加拿大各地更多样化人群的研究可能会确定老年人技术使用的不同因素以及技术用于社交互动的地区差异。
